Still not shabby, considering Gaikai had only raised $45 million in funding to date. The company was backed by Benchmark Capital, TriplePoint Capital, Rustic Canyon Partners, Limelight Networks and Intel Capital.

Established in 2008 and headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, Gaikai enables the streaming of games to a wide variety of devices – including mobile, tablets, and televisions – via the Internet. No downloads and no additional hardware required.

Through the acquisition, SCE says it will establish a new cloud-based interactive entertainment service. The Sony unit handles the R&D, production and sales of both hardware and software for the PlayStation line of handheld and home console video game systems. It is also a developer and publisher of video game titles.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

The purchase is also interesting because Gaikai had deals with major Sony competitors like LG and Samsung to make video games playable through their ‘smart TVs’.

Robin Wauters is the European Editor of The Next Web.
He describes himself as a hopeless cyberflâneur, a lover of startups, his family and Belgian beer.
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